Motor for bicycles or the like



(No Model.)

,B. P. BRUBAKER.

- MOTOR FOR BIGYGLES OR THE LIKE. No. 554,650. Patented Feb. 18, 1896.

AN DRDN B,GRAHAM. PHOTO-LITHO.WASNINGTDN.D.O

NHED STATES ATENT FFICE.

BENJAMIN F. BRUBAKER, OF LARNED, KANSAS.

MOTOR FOR BICYCLES OR THE LIKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 554,650, dated February18, 1896.

A plication filed October 15, 1895. Serial No. 565,780. (No model.)

To all whonc it may concern.-

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN F. BRUBA- KER, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Larned, in the county of Pawnee and State of Kansas,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Motors for Bicyclesor the Like; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in attachments for bicycles,tricycles, and the like, and is designed to furnish a springpower devicewhich will aid the rider in hillclimbing, as well as traveling overheavy and rough roads, and also ease the operation of the wheelgenerally, so as to reduce to a minimum the force'required from therider.

The invention will be fully understood from the following descriptionand claim when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, inwhich Figure 1 is a side view of a bicycle, showing my improvementsapplied. Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken in the plane indicated by thedotted line 00 00 on Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken in theplane indicated by the dotted line y y on Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is aperspective view of the winding-crank and spool or head removed from theshaft; and Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the windingshaft orpower-shaft, illustrating the same broken.

Referring by letter to said drawings, A indicates a bicycle, which ishere shown as having a diamond frame. Such bicycle, however, forms nopart of my invention, and is here shown simply for the purpose ofillustrating one type of wheel upon which my improvements can beapplied. It is obvious that the improvements can be applied to tricyclesor even four-wheel devices.

My improvements comprise a cylindrical casing B, which is here shown assecured to the top bar a of the bicycle-frame by means of brackets Z).In this casing is arranged a spring 0, which may be of the type commonlyemployed in clock-movements. This spring is secured at one end to theinner side of the circumference of the casing, as shown at d, and itsopposite end is secured to the periphery of a spool or head D, as shownat 6. This spool or head has a lateral fixed or integral sleeve f, whichpasses through a lateral central aperture g in one side of the casing B,and carries at its outer end a crank-handle h, having a hand grasp orknob i, by which the same may be turned. The opposite side of the casingB is provided with a central hole or aperture j, which registers withthe hole or aperture gin the opposite side thereof, and passing throughthese apertures and also through the sleeve f and head or spool D is thepower-shaft E. This power-shaft, as better shown in Fig. 5 of thedrawings, has formed on or fixed to it a clutch-section F, and the spoolor head D carries a corresponding clutch-section G, as better shown inFig. 4 of the drawings. The head or spool D is allowed a slidingmovement on the shaft E and is backed thereon by means of a spring H,held in place by a nut on the screw-tapped end of said shaft.

The casing B is provided at a suitable point in its periphery with atransverse slot 2', and one of the inner side walls of said casing isprovided with a lug or other suitable bearing K, in which is journaled alever L. This lever has its handle portion or outer end projectingthrough the slot I of the casing, and its opposite or inner end iscurved or of cam form, so that it may be pressed against the side of thespool or head carrying the clutch-section. It is obvious that the shapeof the lever maybe changed as a mechanic may see fit.

M indicates a chain or sprocket wheel. This Wheel is secured to one endof the shaft E, and may be held in place by means of a nut m or thelike. This wheel is connected with a chain or sprocket wheel N on thecrank or pedal shaft, as shown at P.

WVhile I have shown my improvements as applied to the top bar of abicycle-frame, I do not wish to confine myself to such application ofthe same, as it may be attached to any suitable part of the frame, itbeing simply necessary that it should be connected with the power ordriving mechanism of the wheel.

In operation by simply grasping the lever L and moving it in theposition shown in Fig. 2, so as to disengage the sections of the clutch,and then grasping the handle 2' of the crankarm H and turning the samein the proper direction the spring will be wound upon the spool or headD. By then releasing the lever L the spring H will throw theclutch-sections in engagement with each other, and the spring will turnthe said spool or head, which will impart a rotary motion to the shaftE, and consequently the wheel M thereon, when such motion, through themedium of the chain P, will be communicated to the crank or pedal shaftby means of the chain N.

While I have described very specifically and in detail the parts of theprecise construct-ion as shown, yet I do not wish to be understood asconfining myself to such exact construction of parts or combinations ofparts, as I am aware that man y of them might be changed withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim is The combination with abicycle comprising a frame and a crank-shaft having a sprocketwheel forconnection with the drive-wheel and also having a sprocket-wheel N, ofthe casing fixedly connected to the frame of the bicycle and having aslot in its periphery, the shaft E, journaled in the side walls of thecasing and having the clutch-section F, within the casing, thesprocket-wheel M, fixed on one end of said shaft E, a sprocket-chainconnecting said wheel M, and the wheel N, the laterallymovable spool orhead D, loosely mounted on the shaft E, Within the casing and having theclutch-section G, adapted to engage the section F, and also having thelateral sleeve f, extending through one of the side walls of the casingand having the crank h, at its outer end, the power-spring O, coiledaround the spoolD, and having one end connected to said spool and itsopposite end connected to the casing, the coiled spring II, surroundingthe shaft E, and interposed between a nut and the outer end of thesleeve f, and the lever L, fulcrumed in and connected to the casing andextending through the slot therein and engaging the spool D, allsubstantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

BENJAMIN F. BRUBAKER.

YVitnesses B. S. WINCHESTER, G. P. CLINE.

